The present invention relates to a disposable carton for food products or the like and more particularly to a carton for carryout food products.
The manufacture of disposable food cartons, particularly for the fast food industry, involves highly developed technology. Such cartons must be designed for maximum economy and utility with emphasis on ease of use, cost effectiveness, handling, filling and closing. Product identification, storage of cartons for end use, and integrity after being filled are also important. When such cartons are to be used for packaging hot foods, design considerations must be incorporated into the carton structure to provide a quick and easy means for loading and closing the carton to keep the food hot, and for retaining the lids closed until the food is to be served.
Cartons of the type discussed above often take the form of clam shell type structures particularly as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,516,718 and 4,763,832, owned by the present assignee herein. Other related food cartons may take the form shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,542,569 and 4,765,533. However, when there is a desire to package more than a single sandwich in a carton, and particularly a complete entree with extras, such cartons must include extra space and be designed so as to provide complete access to the contents. For this purpose, the carton design of the present invention is generally trapezoidal in shape and is conveniently prepared from a single blank of paperboard or the like.
Trapezoidal shaped containers are not new, as shown by U.S. Pat. No. 3,178,092 and 4,245,771, however, these prior art patented constructions do not possess the relative simplicity and economy of the present invention.